Automobile gear shifter



June 27, 1950 D. v. ABEY 2,512,907

AUTOMOBILE GEAR SHIF'TER Filed March 7, 1946 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -1 fq W0 VABEX' /EZ June 27, 1950 D. v. ABEY 2,512,907

AUTOMOBILE GEAR SHIFTER Filed Maron 7, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 2 @Infinita-1:

m//o l/. 2755K Patented June 27, n 1950 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE 2,512,907 AUTOMOBILE GEAR smFTER David V. Abey, Baltimore, Md.

Application March 7, 1946, Serial No. 652,725

2 Claims. l

' This invention relates to transmission equipmentr and more particularly to those of a gearshifting nature, applicable for use on motor vehicles or where conditions are of a nature that such equipment could be eiectively and conveniently applied.

In a particular conventional form of transmission employed on motor vehicles, the gear shifting equipment connecting a clutch mechanism is mounted on the power driving unit, and the' 'shaft leading to the wheels of a vehicle or other driven means, consists of a mechanical arrangement that is operated by a manually controlled shifter and the in-and-out control of the clutch pedal. Each speed is manipulated through the direct application of the pedal and Without any automatic features connected with such. It has the disadvantage of requiring a handle or other physically operated device for the shifting of the gearing and involves the use of two limbs of the operator during the transaction.

` It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved shifting equipment unit that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved shifting equipment unit that lwill be semi-automatic and afford an effective and eflicient coordination between it and the transmission.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a new and improved shifting equipment unit that will be compact and economical in manufacture and may be readily interconnected with the emergency brake mechanism.

For a better understanding of the invention and for other objects thereof, reference is made to the appended drawings and the following description, which illustrate a particular form of this invention `by way of example, while the scope of the invention is pointed out in the claims.

In' the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of the shifter embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2,

E, Figure 4 is a -plan View of the shifter positioned in low gear,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showingv the device in No. 2 gear.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the device in high gear, and

.Figure '7 is a View similar to Figure 4 but showingV the device in reverse gear.V

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the construction indicated in the drawings, a pedal IIl of a clutch mechanism II, is mounted in a general manner to show its assembly on a. motor vehicle. In this instance the shifting equipment unit is assumed to be located under' the ooring I2 which is opened up in the drawings to'permit its visualization. The arm I3 supporting the pedal I0, rotates, on a shaft I4 journalled on the flooring and operates the clutch attached to said vehicle. It is kept in its normal up position, by a coil spring tensioned to it from. its holding place on the chassis of the Vehicle.

A lug I'I on a bell crank I8 journalled on the chassis is located adjacent the-arm I3. When lthe arm I3 travels arcuately it so aligns with the lug II as to contact and force it along in the samer direction. When the bell crank I8 rotates on its| shaft in the direction of the arrow, it pulls on the adjustable rod I9 and other incidental links 24:1 and 25 and bell crank I5 required to pass betweenthe structural features of the chassis. It induces: the link 29 and travelling lever 46 to move in a. sidewise direction with respect to the front of ther vehicle. The tension of a coil spring 2| returns: the bar 46 and incidental mechanism I8, I9, 24, 25, I5 and 20 to the rearward position, as soon. as the clutch pedal is released. The bell crank I5 is attached by pin 9U to the plate, the link 25 is connected by pin 9| mechanism 20 by pin 92.

A shifter unit for operating the gears used in the transmission for changing the speed transmitted from the motor to the wheels through this mechanism, consists of a housing 3l) installed over the gears. The housing is so aligned with guide channels 3| and 32 with respect to these gears that the operation of the shifter fingers 33 and 34 respectively slide within them in 4an appropriate way and will push the gears into predetermined reduction relation. The finger 33 travels in one direction to induce reversef and in the opposite for low and forward. The linger 3d likewise induces second speed in one direction and high speed in the opposite. The ngers are separated phpsically from each other by an intermediate guide partition 35, having an opening 36 transversely therethrough suiciently large for a pusher 31 to pass through. This opening 3s aligns with slots 38 and 39 provided at the sides of the lingers 33 and 34 respectively as shown in the drawings.

The pusher 31 is mounted on one side of a link 40 and extends into the slot 36, when the shifter ngers are in neutral position. At the same timer the .slotsy 33` and 39, as well as the opening 436l gare:

connects the bell crank 8l to the br-ake pedal 60.

The link 40 is pivotly held by a pin 4l secur-` ing it toa lever llfvvhich rocks on a kcircular pin 44 situated inthe housing structure by the .side of the guide channel 32. The other end of the lever 43 supports a laterally disposed pin 42 and is contoured inv rounded outline.

The rounded contour enables-the lever 43 to travel a'rcu'atel'yv on its pin 44 so that its periphery will'olldwncloserl to the curved edge surface 45 of an internal re-k u cess in which it operates.

An important intermedium is employed.ioil-` ple the lever G3 with the mechanism 25, i5 and ,19,.and transmit the effect of the pedal ID .tof the` gears. This inter-medium .comprises .a travelling lever 46, fitted with a longitudinal slot 4l adjacent oneend and :freely enclosing the round projecting pii'lfllZf.V regard .to each other `that .their peculiar and different movements will not obstruct their operative functioning' during their various motions.

The intermedium is directed in its .travel in This pin and .slot are so arranged/With two directions, one being linear .and the .other oscillatory. The oscillatory travel takes place close to .the longitudinal slot 41 and pin, T42 respelctively. This motion is induced .by .astub 48 4 doing so operates the shifter unit to place it neutral position. When released the handle and cable is pulled back by the tension of the coiled spring and permits the shifter to operate under the -action of the clutch and brake pedals.

The operation of the device is relatively simple. The clutch pedal i0 is pushed down until it contacts the lug Il.

lThe ibell crank f8, and other parts i9, 25, I5

*and .20 .are :operated thereby andrcause the intermedium lever 4G to move from the neutral position shown in Figure l, by proceeding across the .housingso that the stub 55 follows the groove L56' and' the stub 138 moves out of the groove 54 into the recesset Where it follows along the front 52 into the right hand slot. As it does so the intermedium is'angularly turned in the same directionffand-causes the sides of its slot 4l to rotate the lever i3 on its pin :it so that the link 40 also moves. The link lil by reason of the slots .S3/fand 3.9 has its pin 3l' guided into .the linger BSS-from the nger 34 when the brake pedal 5.5 is used. .A further pressure on the .clutch pedal increases the movement of the .mechanism ,andiorcesthe finger 33 into reverse (as shown in Figure '7), as vthe brakepedal ,Ellis released. Y

To change theoperation of the vehicle toorward first (Figure 4)., requires thepushinglnthe clutch pedalin, without the kiootlorake .pedall until the link di! with its .pusher 43l ,and slot/S133 and .opening .3.6 are aligned in the lingers .and partition that the pusher resiliently rises and ,sets'in the finger 33.. vA furthermovement of theclultl pedal l@ `makes the'fnnger' 34 ,go to second (Figure 5) and operate thegears. Whenthe clntchpidl is raised it .causes the iinger 34 to returnffan'd force .it back into high (Figure 6) and the gears with it. The roperator then Ylifts his foot off .the

. Aclutch .pedal and the vehicle will proceed .along spring .53'. is alignedwith thenornial. neutral cen- I terline of the switch yat one .endend is vpositioned at .the other endin a cut out portion' of a shifter 51| and tensioned to produce a toppling eiect on both sides of the center line when ythe switch is rotated suitably. When the .stub i8 .is pulled back `tar enough it follows the housing .groove 54 suiciently to be out .of contact with theA switch front, but when pushed ,forward '.to` .be .guided thereby and. contact the .cut-out' portion 55 and cause the shifter 5i to move .to the .opposite side and` pull the front 52 with it and retain the `stub 4B in the ,upper end .of the recess 4.9 until'the lever 4.6 completes its travel in that direction.` The linear guiding-'of the intermedium is induced A,byu the sliding of a secondary stub 55 in thehousing groove 56 which is str-aight and in line with the axis of the unit.

,A special feature provided with the construetion of this. unit, is 1in the mechanismfof the emer gency brake .of the vehicle on which .the device is used. The brake proper is of conventional form and is actuated through a cable. 'The cable isV operated by a handle, Which'inturn isheoked at the end to enable it to besecured fatsome lconvenient placefon vthe chassis, acoil spring .applies suitable tension. At a predetermined :point .on the cable is installed a bolt il with adjustable nuts 'i4 .that will engage in the bar 'lupiv-.oted at 115 and enable' it to holdsame, when the Vemer-- gency brake is applied.v The emergency brake handle is pulled the customary manner and 'f5'- in high. Thef..s.witch 52 guides the pin 348 automatically as the operator operates the clutcliand -brakepedals tosuit his Wishes. y

When. you `stop in high `gear and Wish to ,go to low gear, youfpush clutch in halfway for breaking clutch, and apply foot brake. Now .push .clutch allthe Way then let it o-.ut .half-way, andtrip again` .While holding .foot brake down. This iS similar v'to vthe-ordinary .method except the double trip-.en clutch. Toggo, from low to second-use the feet in the ordinary method and the car Willautefmaticallygo-,into.-second. Second to high will be .the samey as :first @to second. 'It you Wish .to .go from. high to reverse, rtrip `'clutch once using .foot

brakaifprnceedasusual. 1 While but one lgeneral -form of theinventionfis shown in they drawings and .described inthe specicationsfit isnutdesired to limit this applica- .tion orpatent tothis particular forni or in'any other way otherwise than limited by the Ascope thereof, :as it is appreciated'that :other `f; rrns.ri:f construction :couldbe' made that would vuse 'the same principles and come Withinthe scopeofthe appended claims.l

Having thus described in the invention, what is claimed is: Agear-s'hiflting arrangement comprisingl in combination a housing, a clutch operating Pdal, a- Ibrake lpedal and-*emergency Ibralre,Y :a plurality of shifting fingers operably positioned liin said housing, -rneansfpivcitally*connected' to saidfhousing for actuating said lingers in predetermined coordination, an"intermedium-,guidably attached to said housing for operating sa-idmeans, avm-eehanism operableby thejcl-utch pedalfor an-t-uialtingV said intermedium and vshifting said gears, vsaid shifter lingers having slots for receiving said first mentioned means, means for connecting said fingers to the transmission gearing and actuating same in a predetermined manner, means operable by the brake pedal for positioning the first mentioned means in one of the shifting finger slots, and means attached to the emergency brake for positioning the device in a neutral position.

2. A gear shifting arrangement comprising in combination a housing, a clutch operating pedal, a brake pedal and emergency brake, a plurality of shifting fingers operably positioned in said housing, means pivotally connected to said housing for actuating said ngers in predetermined coordination, an intermedium guidably attached to said housing for operating said means, a mechanism operable by the clutch pedal for actuating said intermedium and shifting said gears, said shifter ngers having slots for receiving said rst mentioned means, means for connecting said ngers to the transmission gearing and actuating same in a predetermined manner, means operable by the brake pedal for l.positioning the rst men- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,706,553 Stucatur Mar. 26, 1929 l1,844,550 Alspaugh Feb. 9, 1932 2,085,257 Getaz June 29, 1937 2,090,791 Getaz Aug. 24, 1937 2,208,828 Adams 1 July 23, 1940 2,209,415 McNally July 30, 1940 2,252,158 Bixby Aug. 12, 1941 

